Caladium plant named &#39;RFL BRZ OF13-1082&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’, characterized by its intermediate to tall height; upright and mounding plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate; fancy-type leaves that are mostly greyed red in color, randomly mottled with dark green flushed with greyed red-colored blotches and randomly dotted with light red-colored spots; and leaf petioles that are light greyed orange to light greyed red in color with numerous dark greenish brown-colored stippling and streaks.

Botanical designation: Caladium X hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium X hortulanum, commercially referred to as a fancy leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2012 in Avon Park, Fla. of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Red Flash’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium X hortulanum ‘Twist N' Shout’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. in September, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by “chipping” the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. since April, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Intermediate to tall in height and upright and mounding plant         habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Fancy-type leaves that are mostly greyed red in color,         randomly mottled with dark green flushed with greyed red-colored         blotches and randomly dotted with light red-colored spots.     -   4. Petioles that are light greyed orange to light greyed red in         color with numerous dark greenish brown-colored stippling and         streaks.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Red Flash’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium grow much faster than plants of         ‘Red Flash’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Red Flash’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of plants of the new Caladium are mostly greyed         red in color, randomly mottled with dark green flushed with         greyed red-colored blotches and randomly dotted with light         red-colored spots whereas leaves of plants of ‘Red Flash’ have         red-colored venation and interveinal areas with pink and         white-colored spots and dark green-colored borders.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Red Flash’ differ in leaf         petiole color as petioles of the new Caladium are light greyed         orange to light greyed red in color with numerous dark greenish         brown-colored stippling and streaks whereas petioles of plants         of ‘Red Flash’ are red pink to tan pink in color with         darker-colored stippling, stripes and tessellations.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Twist N' Shout’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Twist N' Shout’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of plants of the new Caladium are mostly         greyed red in color, randomly mottled with dark green flushed         with greyed red-colored blotches and randomly dotted with light         red-colored spots whereas leaves of plants of ‘Twist N' Shout’         are olive green in color with green to coppery bronze-colored         venation and coppery orange-colored spots and blotches.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Twist N' Shout’ differ in         leaf petiole color as petioles of the new Caladium are light         greyed orange to light greyed red in color with numerous dark         greenish brown-colored stippling and streaks whereas petioles of         plants of ‘Twist N' Shout’ are light green in color.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Burning Heart’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,071. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Burning Heart’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Burning Heart’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of plants of the new Caladium are mostly greyed         red in color, randomly mottled with dark green flushed with         greyed red-colored blotches and randomly dotted with light         red-colored spots whereas leaves of plants of ‘Burning Heart’         are bronze in color with contrasting salmon orange-colored         spots.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Burning Heart’ differ in leaf         petiole color as petioles of the new Caladium are light greyed         orange to light greyed red in color with numerous dark greenish         brown-colored stippling and streaks whereas petioles of plants         of ‘Burning Heart’ are greyed green flushed with greyed red in         color with brown-colored stippling, streaks and tessellations.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘John Peed’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘John Peed’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium grow much faster than plants of         ‘John Peed’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘John Peed’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of the new Caladium are mostly greyed red in         color, randomly mottled with dark green flushed with greyed         red-colored blotches and randomly dotted with light red-colored         spots whereas leaves of ‘John Peed’ have dark red-colored         centers and red-colored venation with dark green-colored         margins.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘John Peed’ differ in leaf         petiole color as petioles of the new Caladium are light greyed         orange to light greyed red in color with numerous dark greenish         brown-colored stippling and streaks whereas petioles of ‘John         Peed’ are dark pink with dark green to almost black-colored         stippling and streaks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’ in a container and grown in a shadehouse (tuber de-eyed).

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a comparison view of typical plants of ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’ grown in containers; the plant on the left has not had its tuber de-eyed and the plant on the right has had its tuber de-eyed prior to planting.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’ grown in an open production field.

The photograph at the top of the third sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of the female parent, ‘Red Flash’ (left), ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’ (center) and the male parent, ‘Twist N' Shout’ (right).

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘John Peed’ (left), ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’ (center) and ‘Burning Heart’ (right).

The photograph at the top of the fourth sheet is a close-up view of typical freshly-harvested tubers with roots and leaf petioles of ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’.

The photograph at the bottom of the fourth sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse (30% light reduction) in Avon Park, Fla. and plants grown in ground beds under full sunlight conditions in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Fla. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shadehouse and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the shadehouse-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 28° C. to 33° C., night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles. During the production of the outdoor nursery-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from about 23° C. to 26° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles. Plants grown in the shadehouse were seven weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were seven months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium X hortulanum ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘Red Flash’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘Twist N’             Shout', not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             temperatures about 32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented; individual segments             elliptic and irregular in shape. Height: About 3.7 cm to             4.4 cm. Diameter: About 6 cm to 10.7 cm. Segment height:             About 2.6 cm. Segment diameter: About 2.6 cm to 3.1 cm.             Axillary bud size: About 6 mm by 7 mm. Texture: Thick,             starchy; somewhat brittle. Color: Epidermis,             freshly-harvested: Close to N170D. Epidermis, dried: Close             to 200A. Cortical tissue: Close to 4D and 8D. Axillary buds:             Close to 36A to 36B. Root description: Thick, fleshy             contractile roots with few lateral branches; color, close to             N155D. Rooting habit: Medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Intermediate to tall in height and             upright to mounded plant habit; inverted triangle and wider             than tall; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit             and rapid growth rate; potted plants finish in saleable form             in about six to seven weeks after planting tubers; leaf             petioles and leaves arise from one or more growing points on             tubers; leaf petioles initially upright and outwardly             leaning with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 35 cm to 39 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of inflorescences,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 34 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About 40 cm to 45 cm.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted plants,             tubers not de-eyed.—About three to four develop per #1             tuber.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted plants,             tubers de-eyed.—About four to five develop per #1 tuber.         -   Cataphylls, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Length: About             5.5 cm to 8.2 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Narrowly             elliptic to lanceolate. Apex: Acute to cuspidate. Base:             Sheathing the stem. Color, inner surface: Close to N155C and             182D; colors and patterns on the outer surface are visible             on the inner surface. Color, outer surface: Close to N170D             stippled, streaked, tessellated and flecked with close to             147A tinged with close to N200A; with development, color             becoming closer to 199B and N199B stained with close to             187B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate; simple; fancy-type.         -   Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 21.5 cm to 30             cm.         -   Width, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 13.5 cm to 20             cm; when flattened, about 13.8 cm to 22 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate; flat to somewhat cupped at the center.         -   Apex.—Acute, acuminate or cuspidate.         -   Base.—Sagittate to peltate.         -   Margin.—Entire; somewhat undulate with broad undulations.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             pearlescent with a metallic sheen.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glaucous surrounding the venation with a dull             sheen.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Developing and fully             developed leaves, upper surface: Background color: Close to             182B tinged with close to 178A mottled with random blotches,             close to 139A flushed with close to 182B tinged with close             to 178A. Leaf edge: Close to 183A. Basal notch: Close to             187A. Midvein and primary venation: Close to 46A and 96A             tinged with close to 183A; areas surrounding the venation,             close to N34C. Random spots: Close to 39C. Developing and             fully developed leaves, lower surface: Background color:             Close to 189A or 191A tinged with close to 189A and flushed             overall with close to 182B to 182C. Leaf edge: Close to             N186C. Basal notch: Close to 187A. Midvein: Close to 181C to             181D. Primary veins: Close to 196A tinged with close to             182D. Random spots: Close to 181D.         -   Petioles.—Aspect: Initially upright and straight and             outwardly leaning with development; flexible. Length,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 21 cm to 30.2 cm.             Diameter, distally, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About             3.5 mm to 6 mm. Diameter, proximally, shadehouse-grown             potted plants: About 8 mm to 11 mm. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, shadehouse-grown             potted plants, when developing and fully developed: Close to             N170D and 182D densely streaked, stippled and tinged with             close to 200A tinged with 147A; distally (just below leaf             junction), close to 182B and 181C stippled and streaked with             close to N199A. Wing length, shadehouse-grown potted plants:             About 5 cm to 8 cm. Wing diameter, shadehouse-grown potted             plants: About 1 cm. Texture and luster, inner and outer             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; dull to slightly glossy. Wing             color, shadehouse-grown potted plants: Inner surface: Close             to N155C and 182D; colors and patterns on the outer surface             are visible on the inner surface. Outer surface: Close to             N170D stippled, streaked and flecked with close to 147A             flushed with N200A. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescences observed on eight week-old     shadehouse-grown potted plants.     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Upright hooded spathes             surrounding a columnar spadix borne on an upright scape;             spadix with sessile, simple female and male flowers             separated into two zones; female flowers develop on the             proximal one-third of the spadix; male flowers develop on             the distal two-thirds of the spadix; sterile flowers develop             at junction of female and male flower zones; near this             junction, the spathe constricts and surrounds and encloses             the female flowers; spathe open and cupped around male             flowers.         -   Fragrance.—Night-fragrant; jasmine-like with mint and             camphor notes.         -   Natural flowering season and flower longevity.—Plants of the             new Caladium typically flower during the spring and summer             in central Florida; flowers develop about eight weeks after             growth commences; inflorescences last about three days             before fading; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length, overall: About 11.7 cm. Length, distal open             portion: About 8 cm. Length, proximal closed portion: About             3.7 cm. Width, distal open portion: About 4.1 cm. Depth,             distal open portion: About 1.5 cm. Width, at constriction:             About 1.6 cm. Width, proximal closed portion: About 2.5 cm.             Shape, open portion: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute.             Margin: Entire; smooth; slightly recurved. Texture and             luster, front surface: Smooth, glabrous; dull. Texture and             luster, rear surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glaucous;             dull. Color, front surface: Distal open portion: Close to             155C; with development, color becoming closer to 199B.             Proximal closed portion: Close to 148B to 148C; towards the             base, flushed and mottled with close to 187A; color does not             change with development. Color, rear surface: Distal open             portion: Close to 145C to 145D flushed at the center with             close to 145D; color does not change with development.             Proximal closed portion: Close to 147A to 147B and 146A             mottled and streaked with close to 178B to 178C; color does             not change with development.         -   Spadix.—Length, overall: About 9.7 cm. Length, male flower             zone: About 6.3 cm. Length, sterile zone: About 1.7 cm.             Length, female flower zone: About 1.7 cm. Diameter, male             flower zone: About 1.2 cm. Diameter, sterile flower zone:             About 7 mm. Diameter, female flower zone: About 1 cm. Shape:             Columnar, spindle-shaped. Apex: Obtuse to acute. Base:             Obtuse. Aspect: Upright. Color, mature, male zone: Close to             158C. Color, mature, sterile zone: Close to 155D. Color,             mature, female zone: Close to 159D. Male flowers: Quantity             per spadix: About 162. Shape: Obovate. Height: About 3 mm to             3.5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Pollen amount: Abundant.             Pollen color: Close to 4D. Female flowers: Quantity per             spadix: About 174. Shape: Elliptic to obovate. Height: About             2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2.2 mm. Stigma color: Close to 159D.             Ovary color: Close to 158A.         -   Scape.—Length: About 22.3 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Strength: Sturdy; flexible. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy; distally, slightly             glaucous. Color: Close to N170D and 182D densely stippled             and streaked with close to 200A to 200B; distally, close to             N170D and 182D densely stippled and streaked with close to             200A to 200B tinged with 147B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Pathogen & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to have average tolerance to Pythium Root Rot and above     average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot. Plants of the new     Caladium have not been observed to have resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     40° C. and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. In cooler     zones, tubers can be “lifted” prior to first freeze and stored in a     cool dry environment to overwinter for re-planting the following     spring. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘RFL BRZ OF13-1082’ as illustrated and described. 